Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko and Tamil National Movement leader P Nedumaran were on Monday arrested for defying a ban on a rally to condole the death of slain Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam political wing leader S P Tamilchelvan in an air raid by the Sri Lankan Air Force on November 2.

About 300 protestors from parties like MDMK, Indian National League and Tamil National Movement courted arrest along with the two leaders near the Munroe statue in Chennai while trying to go ahead with the rally.

Raising pro-LTTE and Tamil Eelam slogans, Vaiko charged the Manmohan Singh [Images] government at the Centre with "supplying arms to the Sri Lankan army, which are being used against innocent Tamils."

Criticising the Tamil Nadu government for refusing to grant permission to take out a rally condoling Tamilchelvan's death, he demanded to know why Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had penned an eulogy on the leader's death.

"We have gathered here to express not only the feelings of Tamils in Tamil Nadu but all over the world," Vaiko said.

Nedumaran condemned the "fascist rule" in Tamil Nadu for denying permission to the rally. Protestors, including Vaiko and Nedumaran carried pictures of Tamilchelvan and other LTTE cadres who were killed in the air raid.